It’s a play that changed the history and fortunes of the Pittsburgh Steelers and is one of the greatest plays in NFL history, too. Now, it’ll be immortalized in a feature film.
That would be the Immaculate Reception that the late Franco Harris pulled off on December 23, 1972, at Three Rivers Stadium against the rival Oakland Raiders. Scooping the football out of the air before it hit the turf, Harris raced to the end zone to beat the Raiders at the last second and send the Steelers to the AFC Championship Game.
According to Variety, the ball from that famous play will be featured in a film from award-winning filmmaker Bill McAdams Jr., who acquired the exclusive rights to the story of the football and its journey since that day.
While the play goes down in NFL and Steelers’ history as a seminal moment, the ball is often forgotten about. But the film from McAdams and sports and entertainment publicist Michael Misetic will focus on the football’s journey over the last 50+ years. In that time, Pittsburgh-area native Jim Baker has had the football after catching it on the extra point and getting out of the stadium with it.
“In telling the story of Jim Baker and the Immaculate Reception ball, we delve into the profound intersection of sports, memory and personal legacy,” McAdams said of the feature film on Baker and the ball from the Immaculate Reception, according to Variety. “It’s not just about a historic play; it’s about a father’s enduring connection to his son and the emotional weight carried by a single piece of leather.
“This film aims to explore how a moment in time can transcend the field, becoming a symbol of love, loss and human experience.”
That day at Three Rivers Stadium, it appeared the Steelers were going to come up short against the rival Raiders. But then, quarterback Terry Bradshaw dropped back to pass, scrambled around and uncorked a dart over the middle of the field intended for running back Frenchy Fuqua.
Raiders defensive back Jack Tatum had a violent collision at the catchpoint with Fuqua, sending the football careening back toward Harris. He reached down and scooped the ball before it hit the turf and then ran another 43 yards to the end zone to beat the Raiders in stunning fashion.
As pandemonium raged around the field, Baker positioned himself to catch the extra point. At the time, there were no nets for the extra points, so Baker was able to catch it, and according to Variety, concealed the football under the jacket of his nephew, who was at the game with him, allowing him to get out of the stadium with the ball.
Over the years, Baker has received plenty of significant offers for the famous football, but he’s rejected each one, keeping it due to the special meaning it has to him and his family. And now, that story of the football and its journey through Baker’s life will be told in the film from McAdams.
There is no time frame on when the film will be produced, but McAdams previously produced a documentary short “Immaculate Reception: The Game Ball,” for which he won a Silver Telly award for best director, according to Variety, so there is plenty of experience and success with McAdams and the content.
